18 Things - Jamie Ayres

During a sailing trip on Lake Michigan, Olga Gay Worontzoff's best friend - and for ever secret crush - Conner gets killed after being struck by lightning and falling into the cold water. Olga blames herself for his death and attempts suicide/takes an accidental overdose of sleeping pills. She's then sent to a psychiatrist who suggests she makes a list of 18 things to help her cope. Hence the title.

 

I read the second book in this series, 18 Truths, last year. I know that's not how you're supposed to read it, but I ended up with an ARC and found it intriguing enough to now want to read the first and also the third book. I do suggest though to start with the first book.

 

Having already read 18 Truths meant I was going into this book already knowing how it would end. However, it didn't bother me, although I was wondering how look it would have taken me to figure it out by myself.

 

I really enjoyed reading it. Not too much is happening, but I find that refreshing every now and then. I do need to warn people that can't stand any mention of religion in books though. This book suffered the least from it, but I noted in my review of the second book and also while reading the third book that it felt preachy at times (which is IMHO annoying, I like to be able to make up my own mind), but here it's more like a mention she's praying or going to church (which I don't mind reading).

 

In the end I think it was a good start to the series. It's not something I read a lot, but it was nice for a change.

 

18 Things is the first book in the My So Called Afterlife-series. The other books in this series are 18 Truths and 18 Thoughts (Review to come)

 

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!